Frequently Asked Questions

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What is TSR?

Texas School Ready is a comprehensive early education model that works with early childhood teachers to improve their instructional practices in the classroom, helping more children be more prepared for kindergarten. Since 2003, TSR has positively impacted the school readiness of more than 350,000 at-risk children in Texas.

Beginning in the 2015-16 school year, Texas School Ready has be implemented across the state through three delivery models that vary by support level intensity: TSR Online, TSR Online+, and TSR Comprehensive. Agencies can participate in multiple levels of service at the same time, depending on the individual needs of the teachers and childcare providers they serve.

How can I apply to be in TSR?

Texas School Ready recruits early childhood classrooms to participate in the program throughout the year.

All public school districts, public charter schools, Texas Rising Star sites, and Head Start grantees in Texas will be able to access Texas School Ready tools and resources at no cost on our new e-learning platform CLI Engage.

If your program would like to apply to participate in TSR Comprehensive, click here to submit an application. If space becomes available, a representative of TSR will review your application and be in contact if your program is eligible.

How can I schedule a CIRCLE training?

Texas School Ready staff regularly conducts CIRCLE Preschool Foundations Trainings with teachers who are currently participating in TSR. Our staff also conducts these trainings on a contract basis. If you would like to schedule a CIRCLE Preschool Foundations Training, please click here to submit a training request. A representative from TSR will be in contact to discuss your request and plan your CIRCLE Preschool Foundations Training.

How can I find a program participating in TSR in my area?

To locate a program participating in TSR in your area, please click here to search for TSR participants by school name, address, city, or county. All TSR participants receive a banner to indicate that they are currently participating in the program. Look for our "We Are...TSR!" banners in your community!

If you would like a listing of TSR participants for research purposes, please submit a request through our Contact Us form.

How do we know TSR works?

Multiple research studies have confirmed that Texas School Ready positively impacts teacher instructional practices in the classroom. In particular, TSR has been proven to help teachers be more responsive to the individual needs of the children in their classrooms. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted by researchers at the Children's Learning Institute on the effectiveness of TSR are published in peer-reviewed journals after undergoing rigorous evaluation by independent experts in the field.

Teachers participating in TSR show increases in their uses of language-building strategies, including the quality of book reading, general conversations with children, and the use of oral language instruction to build these skills. Even greater gains have been found in emergent literacy instructional practices. Teachers also show better responsive teaching practices, organization of their centers, and the use of lesson plans.

Evidence shows that teachers who have received two years of TSR training are far more likely to engage in high quality teaching practices, such as responsive interaction and small-group instruction. These high quality practices are linked to more significant gains for children with the greatest need - for example, students from low income backgrounds and English language learners.

How much does TSR cost?

Texas School Ready is free for all participants.

I've heard that TSR takes a lot of time. How much time do teachers spend in TSR each month?

Texas School Ready is a comprehensive early education program that requires teachers to be committed to improving their instructional practices in the classroom. The goal of TSR is to transform teachers' instructional philosophy, directly impacting their instruction in the classroom. Teachers who participate in TSR Comprehensive are enrolled in TSR for three years; the time commitment for participants is highest in the first year, and reduces in years two and three. On average, TSR Comprehensive teachers spend about four hours a month in facilitated professional development sessions on eCIRCLE content. Teachers also receive between one and four hours of coaching each month, depending on their year in the program (year one, year two, or year three). Teachers in the TSR Online and TSR Online+ programs can use the resources on CLI Engage according to their needs. Therefore, the time spent using TSR tools and resources will vary.

Do I have to change curriculum in my classroom to participate in TSR?

Programs who participate in Texas School Ready are not required to change their classroom curriculum. During their participation in TSR Comprehensive (and possibly TSR Online+), teachers receive the Prekindergarten Response to Intervention (P-RTI) oral language curriculum supplement, known as Developing Talkers (English kit) or Hablemos Juntos (Spanish kit).

Can my child care center be licensed or certified as TSR?

No, early childhood programs, public schools, and Head Start sites that participate in TSR are not licensed or certified as "Texas School Ready." Programs and schools who participate in TSR are known as "TSR Participants." The Children's Learning Institute no longer operates the Texas School Readiness Certification System, which previously certified preschool classrooms as "school ready."

As a teacher, do I have to go through my child care center or school to participate in TSR?

All teachers who participate in TSR Comprehensive enroll through their employer, such as child care centers, Head Start sites, or public schools. Participation in TSR requires the support of the program or school administrator. Teachers who are interested in utilizing TSR resources on their own, such as the child progress monitoring tools and professional development, can access these tools by participating in TSR Online, hosted on the CLI Engage platform.

I run a small child care out of my home. What TSR resources can I use?

TSR professional development resources are valuable for all early childhood teachers, including home-based child care providers. TSR operates the Beginning Education: Early Childcare at Home (BEECH) program, an online professional development system specifically designed for home-based providers. Enrollment in BEECH is free for all home-based child care providers in Texas and is available in English and Spanish. BEECH is available on CLI Engage for free for all participants.